South Korea's Veterans Ministry Proposes 8 Percent Budget Increase for 2027

The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs has proposed a budget of 7.22 trillion won (US$5.25 billion) for 2027, representing an 8 percent increase over the current year's 6.68 trillion won. The proposed hike of 532 billion won is intended to expand veterans benefits, support the descendants of independence fighters, and fund key national projects.

Specific measures in the draft proposal include raising basic compensation for war veterans and allowances for persons of national merit. The ministry also plans to expand benefits to third generation descendants of independence fighters from the 1910 to 1945 colonization period, which is expected to add approximately 2,500 new recipients. Additionally, the age threshold for using veterans hospitals will be lowered from 75 to 65, and the number of contracted medical institutions for veterans and their families will be expanded.

Infrastructure and international projects are also central to the proposal. The ministry aims to transform Hyochang Park in central Seoul, where activist Kim Koo and other independence fighters are buried, into a national cemetery and public cultural space. The budget will also support preparations for the 2029 Invictus Games, which will be hosted in Daejeon, and fund programs to invite Korean War veterans who served under the UN flag. Finally, the ministry plans to establish a specialized research team to locate and repatriate the remains of independence activists who died abroad.